Cast of characters
This page is intended to give a brief introduction to some the main players in the ongoing drama. This should be a brief introduction for those not familiar with the names. 'FreeThoughtBlogs' For anyone who is not familiar with it, FreeThoughtBlogs, aka FtB, or FfTB (Free''from''ThoughtBlogs) is a blog network set up by PZ Myers and Ed Brayton. It is supposed to be a network of blogs enabling a wide ranging set of topical discussions focussed primarily, though not exclusively, around atheism and feminism, and allowing for a wide range of expression and thought -- hence, "FreeThought". In reality, FfTB is a network of narrowly focussed and very parochial blogs with an extremely US-centric point of view, and a very strict overarching ideological stance (defined, to a large extent, by PZ Myers). Most, though not all, of the individual blogs are hosted by extremely dogmatic, narrow minded, profoundly arrogant individuals, who, while claiming to hold University degrees and other academic accomplishments of some note, fail, on a daily basis, to actually act or write like people who hold University degrees and other academic accomplishments of some note. The most popular five or six blogs are hosted by the most ideologically bound, irrational, and profoundly hypocritical bloggers in the network. Those five or six blog hosts are, in some places, collectively referred to as the FC5, or the FC5 (6), or sometimes the FC5, 6, 7, because there is some flux in who is or is not still hosting their blog. The initials, FC, stand for Fainting Couch, which is representative of their hysterical reactions to very, very small slights made against them or to contrary opinions presented against their often ludicrous manufactroversies. Favoured FfTB Bloggers -- aka the FC5 (6, 7) PZ Myers : College professor in Minnesota, USA. By all reports, a nice guy in person. PZ Fucking Myers (aka: PeeZus) : Alter ego of PZ Myers when (mis)functioning as the host of the FfTB blog, Pharyngula. PZ Fucking Myers has ginormous ego-powered internet balls, and will frequently attack targets that the more timid PZ Myers would rather leave alone (see Gelato Guy). PeeZus instituted an all-inclusive blanket block of anyone who is known to post on the Slyme Pit forum. Ophelia Benson : Ophelia Benson (aka Delores Umbridge; Saint Feelya, and many, many more derivations) is a major drama and manufactroversy producer on FfTB via her blog Butterflies and Wheels. Seems to have a persecution complex. An amusing anagram for "Ophelia Benson" is "no-hope lesbian". Her primary, if unstated, editorial policy includes arbitrarily deleting posts with which she disagrees, and banning posters for sundry unstated supposed and sometimes wholly imaginary violations. Delores also bans almost all individuals known to post on the Slyme Pit forum ... just because, don'tcha know. Greta Christina : Feminist blogger and host of the FfTB blog Greta Christina's Blog, and occasional troll. Diagnosed with cancer in October 2012, which prompted her to request cash donations from her blog's commentators, which she then said she would use to pay her mortgage, and other non-health related expenses. Stephanie Zvan : Host of the FfTB blog, Almost Diamonds (aka Almost Carbon). Does not like being called Stef, Steph, Stephie, or Stefunny, and especially not Vangina or InSvanity or Svandenberg. Stefunny InSvanity is an outspoken and a deeply committed supporter/defender of Greg Laden, and will come raging to his online defense for the most outrageous, nonsensical Laden-presented, mis-statements and scientific nonsense (for example, his claim that men are just "testosterone damaged women", and his hate-filled threats to erstwhile fellow blogger Justin Griffith). Stefunny is one of the least rational of FfTB blog hosts, and is well known for commonly making completely groundless scientific (so-called) claims. : An amusing anagram for "Almost Diamonds" is "Dismal Mastodon". Jen McCreight : Host of the FfTB blog, BlagHag, orchestrator of BoobQuake. Perhaps has the most intellectual integrity of the FtB bloggers. Has had a long-running kerfluffle with Abbie Smith of ERV, but they more or less patched things up to a small degree. Generally considered responsible for starting Atheism+ (although there is an ongoing suspicion that PZ Myers was the actual "xim" behind the curtains), then flounced both Atheism+ and her own FfTB blog. Jason Thibeault (aka Tibideedido; Tibidoodah; ToiletBowl, etc.) : IT Nerd, and FtB's official me too guy, and host of the FfTB blog, LousyCanuck. Contributes almost no original thought. Wants to be Greg Laden. Truly believes that blog moderation equals free speech, and blog non-moderation equals censorship. Seriously; he does. Lives in Room 101. Greg Laden : Profoundly and neurotically self-important blogger (Greg Laden's Blog...). Went to Harvard (as he will no doubt tell you, and tell you, and tell you). Was deputy me too guy to Tibidoodah, and angry staunch supporter of all things Zvan. Laden was kicked off FfTB blogs (there are unsubstantiated rumours that he will be invited back in the fall of 2012) for threatening fellow FfTB blogger, Justin Griffith. Infamous for stating, in his role as a PhD, that men are just "testosterone damaged women". Richard Carrier : "There is a new atheism brewing, and it’s the rift we need, to cut free the dead weight so we can kick the C.H.U.D.’s back into the sewers and finally disown them, once and for all... I will provide any intellectual artillery they need to expand this cause and make it successful." - Richard Carrier's declaration of support for Atheism+. : Atheism+ tried to sell itself as an inclusive movement, although it was seen as divisive by its critics, and Richard Carrier's blog post did nothing to improve that image. Jen McCreight denounced his piece on twitter 6 days after he posted it: "Finally had time 2 read Richard Carrier's #atheismplus piece. His language was unnecessarily harsh, divisive & ableist. Doesn't represent A+". 'Favoured FfTB Commentariat' : Note: Some Pharyngula commenters place "OM" after their name. This is a stupid circle-jerk award -- the Order of Molly -- given for so-called outstanding commenting on the Pharyngula blog, and as such should be ignored as the meaningless gobbledeegook it is''.'' Brownian : One of the more established FfTB regulars. Respected by many of the FfTB commentariat -- a level of respect which can only be achieved by using the most big words to agree with the status quo. Unlike most of the FfTB commentariat, who like to spend most of their time with their heads in the sand, Brownian has his head firmly implanted somewhere entirely different. Josh, Official SpokesGay : Pops up quite frequently in FfTB discussions with his patented Hose of Mighty Vitriol™. Seems permenantly on the edge of a mental breakdown. Also posts as Josh Slocum. Frequently cries tears of rage from the corners of his angry eyes. Nerd of Redhead : Claims to be a scientist. Claim is dubious. 'Tis Himself : Posts long rambling diatribes, largely plagiarised. Sally Strange : FfTB regular. Possible Social Security fraud. julian : FfTB regular. Known for severe anger control issues, and for issuing several variations of death threats/wishes, including "die in a fire". 'Skepchick' Rebecca Watson : CEO and principle mouth piece and proselytizer of Skepchick. Starred in ElevatorGate (2011) and GrotheGate (2012). : Watson's principle "claim to fame" is much like Paris Hilton's: She does very little actual meaningful feminist activism, research, or work, but she complains a hell of a lot, manufactures moral hysterias on a regular basis, and talks even more about herself while being jetted around the world, and wined and dined to a rather extravagant degree on, seemingly, a weekly basis, while disparaging, insulting, and dismissing people who have privilege, or who simply are not her. Yes, really. : A common opening remark at the various speeches and talks she delivers is along the lines of "I was drunk at the time". She likes science, claims to know everything about almost anything, and once felt she had to remind the world that Gallileo was tortured and killed by the Church. : Possibly in an elevator. : Nah, the elevator bit is a joke. Surly Amy : Amy is one of the more active and outspoken Skepchicks. Her primary activity is to make (and market at an extravagant price) kindergarten-grade ceramic nuggets with supposedly pithy statements carved into the surface. She calls these ceramic nuggets Art, and compares her artistic activities to science, scientists, and the scientfic method. No, no one else understands what she means either. : Surly Amy is quite fragile, and finds herself in tears of rage when she reads Tee shirts that have supposedly pithy sayings printed on their surface that she disagrees with. Her ongoing goal is to ensure that the world of atheist and skeptic conferences no longer allow anyone to wear or in anyway display or even own such things as Tee shirts that have supposedly pithy sayings printed on their surface that she disagrees with. : Surly Amy is also campainging to ensure that no one in the world, besides herself, ever again makes or sells kindergarten-grade ceramic nuggets with supposedly pithy statements carved into the surface, nor should anyone ever again be allowed to wear or display kindergarten-grade ceramic nuggets with supposedly pithy statements carved into the surface that Surly Amy did not make. : Surly Amy sees herself as a social justice warrior, a "tough chick" who regularly "kicks ass", and a hero to mature, intelligent, adult womanhood and true feminism -- so long as it doesn't say mean things and make her cry. 'Slyme Pitters' (aka Pytbulls; Pyt Crew; Pytters) Abbie Smith : The owner of the ERV blog, where the original Slime Pit started (before it had to be shut down due to threats to its existence from people such as Greg Laden and Stephanie Zvan). Abbie receives a lot of ongoing vitriol and outright hatred (mainly from the FfTB and Skepchick blog bloggers and associated commentariat) for neither moderating nor censoring her blog, and for allowing people to speak their minds. Has also been known for her critical comments of Rebecca Watson, including Watson's handling of the Stef McGraw incident. : Oh, yeah, nearly forgot. On both/all sides of all this nonsense, with many bloggers and commentors making claims to science credentials, Abbie is one of the very few individuals who actually does real-world science. You can read about her actual, real-world, non-PeeZus stylee science at her ERV blog. Go, go, go, have a good read; you will be impressed. Franc Hoggle : One of the more infamous posters in the Slyme Pit, Franc originated the "cunt kick" comment which has been a staple of FfTB slander, misrepresentation, and distortion ever since. Was incorrectly "outed" by various FfTBers as "Victor Ivanoff". Has a blog at greylining.com. Scented Nectar : A long time commenter on various blogs, including Pharyngula, before "moving" to ERV. One of the earliest gender-traitors, Scented is disliked by many FfTB bloggers, especially those men who think they are more female then she is. Has a blog and a YouTube channel. Notung : Owner of the Notung blog at the ScepticInk blog network. One of the few Pytbulls to be frequently found in the wild attempting to have rational discussions on FfTB. Given that the FfTB commentariat would not be caught dead at the Slyme Pit, Notung is one of the few remaining avenues of communication between the two camps - at least until he is banned from FfTB. Sacha : She's just a cunt. But we love her just the same. James Onen : Token diversity-spot filler. Bigger brain than most white folks. Baboons resent this. James lives in Uganda where people get murdered for being "other". Privileged cunt. Lsuoma : Creator and "owner" of the current Slyme Pit+. Miscellaneous Skeptifem : Radfem and Franc Hoggle's "favourite loon". Unlike FfTB feminists, Skeptifem has a good grasp of the concept of consistency and applies it accordingly; irrationally, but accordingly. She is also an out-and-out misandrist (with a boyfriend, no less) and proselytizer of the well known, late, radical feminist, Andrea (it's not pornography if a woman wrote it) Dworkin. Fred Phelps : Who Slimepitters turn to for a breath of reason and sanity when baboon overdose sets in.